A conventional passenger aircraft typically includes heated flight deck windows. The windows are heated to provide clear visibility in all conditions. For example, fogging and ice formation may be reduced by use of such heated windows. Conventional heated windows include heating elements that extend across an entire window or segment of a window. The power requirements for heating the entire window are significant, but during normal power operations are not a burden on the aircraft power system with all power supplies functioning. The power requirements of heating the windows during emergency power operations, however, are a significant burden on the emergency power systems. For example, conventional heated windows on a business jet may require more than 6 kW to operate. Such power requirements increase the size of emergency power systems in the aircraft. Larger emergency power systems decrease usable space in the aircraft, increase weight and cost of the aircraft, and reduce fuel efficiency and range.
As such, it is desirable to provide aircraft and aircraft windshield heating systems that provide flight crew visibility during emergency power operations while reducing the power consumption of operating the windshield heating systems. In addition, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.